Letters & Science

Call for nominations for 24-25 will open in April 2025.

The L&S Achievement Awards are designed to formally recognize and publicize the achievements of L&S staff who demonstrate a commitment to our shared mission of teaching, research and public service. The inaugural L&S Staff Achievement Awards will recognize L&S staff members who excelled in collaboration, goal accomplishment, inclusion & belonging, innovation, and/or job mastery during the period of June 2024 - May 2025.

Eligibility

Award Criteria

Awards will be given based on the Achieve Together criteria outlined below. All nominations must demonstrate excellence in one or more of the criteria:

• Collaboration – Enhances individual work by soliciting contributions from others and enhances others’ work by contributing to their success to more effectively meet unit goals.
• Goal Accomplishment – Achieves individual goals that contribute to unit priorities.
• Inclusion & Belonging – Demonstrates respect for people and their differences, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, country of origin, cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations. Understands the benefits of a diverse workforce, is trusted and respected by others, includes and welcomes others, and works to understand the perspective of others.
• Innovation – Uses knowledge, skills, and professional experience to seek efficiencies and improve work outcomes.
• Job Mastery – Demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities that result in high performance and contributions within the scope of the employee’s job description.

The L&S Administrative Advisory Committee (AAC) will review the nominations, confirm eligibility with immediate supervisors, and make final recommendations to the Deans for approval. Recipients will be notified in August. Recipients and nominators will be invited to a recognition event in fall 2025.

Deadline

The call for nominations for 24-25 will open in April 2025; stay tuned for a deadline.

2024 L&S Staff Achievement Award Recipients

• Rebecca Chavez, Sociology
• Faith Enemark, Rhetoric, Film & Media, History of Art
• Linda Fitzgerald, English
• Sarah Fullerton, A&H Dean's Office
• Vicky Lee, Mathematics
• Arman Liwanag, L&S Advising
• Elizabeth Nakahama-Ryan, Physics
• Teddy Prompichai, Innovative Genomics Institute
• Bibi Zaragoza, UGIS Academic Programs

Opened May 24, 2024

The inaugural L&S Staff Professional Development Program is designed to augment professional development funding that is distributed at the individual unit level. The funding is made possible through contributions from all the Letters & Science deans. Funds can be used for course/conference registration fees and/or travel in support of your current role in L&S. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for professional development opportunities that take place during one of two cycles:

• Cycle 1: $10,000 distribution: Professional development activities that take place from July 1, 2024-December 2024.

• Cycle 2: $10,000 distribution: Professional development activities that take place from January 2025-June 2025. 

Cycles may close early if allocated funds are depleted and awardees are eligible for up to $1,000 per year. 

Eligibility

The fund is open to all L&S staff members who meet the following conditions:

• Worked at L&S for at least 6 months and, if applicable, received a 'well done' or 'standout' rating during the last Achieve Together cycle or received a 'meets expectations' or higher for represented staff.

• Obtained supervisor support for the professional development opportunity. Supervisors may be contacted for additional information.

• Have completed and are up to date on all mandatory trainings assigned in the UC Learning Center.

• Have already sought funding from their department and were denied or need additional funding.
  
  

Award Criteria

Priority will be given to applicants who:

• Were not awarded adequate funding via their department

• Have never had a professional development opportunity while at L&S

• Demonstrate concrete ways that they can share their experience back with the unit or College at large and demonstrate how it aligns with at least one of the Achieve Together criteria.

Submit your proposal here.

Opened May 31, 2024

The High Five program recognizes L&S staff who go above and beyond to provide service. Anyone can nominate. Nominees are entered into a monthly gift card drawing and nominators are entered into a quarterly drawing.

Eligibility

Current staff in the College of Letters & Science (represented positions, PPSM and MSP employees (career & contract appointments)) may be nominated. Any member of the Berkeley campus community can submit a nomination. 

Recognize someone today by submitting this Google form.

L&S High-Five Winners

November 2024: Emilie Dandan, Karla Rodriguez-Sandher, Michael Schneider

October 2024: Tim Cahill, Sara Larsen, Rebecca Singh

September 2024: Ashlee Bayliss, David Harris, Marisol Silva

August 2024: Netra Krishnappa, Elizabeth Nakahama-Ryan, Rebecca Egger

July 2024: Gudny Gunnarsdottir, Madalyn Morris Huerta, Maura Vrydaghs

June 2024: Lyazzat Cohen, Neil Gali, Danielle Molina

Ongoing; Year-Round

Nominate a colleague or yourself! Our staff members do so much in support of our students, our mission, and each other -- please share suggestions for those who you'd like to see or learn about in a future L&S Staff Spotlight. You could volunteer yourself, your team, and/or others. Feel free to share more than one! 

To nominate a colleague, a team, or yourself, please fill out this form.